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<title>3. "Only over my cold body" by T_Hurricane</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29654898">3. "Only over my cold body"</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/T_Hurricane/pseuds/T_Hurricane'>T_Hurricane</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Voltron: Stories of Klance [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Voltron: Legendary Defender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arena, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Blood, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Broken Bones, Comfort/Angst, Fan Fiction Library - Challenge, Fights, Gay Keith (Voltron), Gen, Gladiators, Happy Ending, Healing, Heavy Angst, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Keith (Voltron) Whump, Kidnapping, Lance (Voltron) Whump, Love Confessions, M/M, Major Character Injury, Matter of Life and Death, Mild Gore, Missions Gone Wrong, Near Death, Rescue, Spears, Stabbing, Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 06:08:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,848</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29654898</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/T_Hurricane/pseuds/T_Hurricane</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Keith and Lance have been captured during a mission to fight the defending Champion in an arena.<br/>Both wake up surrounded by cheering crowds and are forced to fight one enemy, and they won't make it out of there alive if they can't beat him. </p><p>But how long can they last?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Keith &amp; Lance (Voltron), Keith/Lance (Voltron)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Voltron: Stories of Klance [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2175054</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>64</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Fan Fiction Library (Discord) Challenge #1: 20 Prompts</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>3. "Only over my cold body"</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi!</p><p>For the third prompt of the writing challenge hosted on my Discord server, the <b> <a href="https://discord.gg/RuSjgxC68t">Fan Fiction Library</a> </b>: "Only over my cold body"</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>„Welcome, Ladys and Gentleman, species of all kinds, beings of all ages! I am so happy to welcome you to the main event of the evening - you’re definitely in for a big surprise!“ the voice of the announcer echoed through the stadium, accompanied by cheers and exclamations of excitement. </p><p>„Now, after the fights of the underdogs are over, it’s time for the surprise we promised you all!“ he said and the cheer burst into even louder cheers. </p><p>„Let me present to you our defending champion: Lalkies the murderous!“ the voice of the commentator boomed through the speakers. </p><p>The cheer stood up and confetti and fireworks exploded, covering the whole arena in the brightest colors. </p><p>Then, a gate in the floor of the arena opened and a platform rose up. On it stood a heavily armored, three meter tall alien. </p><p>„There has never been a warrior this bloodthirsty, let me tell you that, folks! With a kill streak if 74 won matches in a row this is a warrior as mighty as one can get!“ the voice continued to praise Lalkies. </p><p>The crowd was still roaring with excitement. </p><p>„And now, my dear audience, the surprise you all have been waiting for! Tonight, there will be two challengers - and no one unknown! They are rather famos, and I am sure that you have already heard of them, so let me present to you: Two Paladins on Voltron!“ the announcer yelled into his microphone, intoning every word in just the right way to keep the crowd’s spirits high. </p><p>On the other side of the arena, the floor opened and revealed another platform that was slowly rising up. On it laid two unconscious figures in mostly white armor. </p><p>„Please welcome to this fight, the Red and Blue Paladins of Voltron! Freshly caught just for your entertainment by our finest and most skilled seekers! They have been prepared as every other challenger before them, so they will soon wake up and then, the long awaited fight will begin!“ the announcer continued, stretching out the last words. </p><p>On the arena floor, Keith stirred. It wasn’t long until Lance moved to, opening his heavy lidded eyes and then, they were both slowly sitting up. </p><p>„What the hell?“ Lance cried out and scooted closer to Keith. </p><p>„Uhm“ Keith just replied, clearly shocked and confused. </p><p>„Looks like the spectacle can begin momentarily! Wakey wakey!“ the announcer then mocked, and the crowd fell into loud and roaring laughter. </p><p>„Lance, where are we?“ Keith asked almost panicked. </p><p>„And how did we end up in here? The last thing I remember is one of those guys shooting at me with some dart thingy“ Lance said, trying to suppress the panic building up in him. </p><p>„Now my dear challengers, since you are the ones unfamiliar with our fighting system, let’s tell you the rules!“ a booming voice echoed through the stadium, hardly understandable because of the volume and the noise of the crowd. </p><p>„What?“ Keith asked and rose to stand on shaky feet. He turned around and helped Lance up, and then they were standing back to back and analyzing their situation. </p><p>They were standing on a large circle shaped square that was surrounded by five meter tall walls. The floor was covered in sand, and with horror they identified the darker spots littering the sand in every direction as bloodstains. </p><p>All around them were tribunes with all kinds of aliens sitting on them - and apparently awaiting some sort of spectacle.</p><p>„What are we supposed to do? Fight?“ Lance asked worriedly. </p><p>„I don’t know, but I think I got a call for help through to the Castle before they got us. I hope they gat here fast“ Keith replied. </p><p>Suddenly, Lance felt Keith tense up. </p><p>„Lance. Look“ he said before Lance could ask his what was wrong - well, even more wrong than the whole situation. </p><p>„Shit“ Lance said as he laid eyes on the same think Keith was: A three meter tall alien, armed to the teeth and and looking at them through the slits of a helmet that vaguely reminded him of the helmets gladiators wore in ancient Rome. </p><p>„That’s right my dear newcomers!“ the voice announced again, and Lance and Keith looked up. </p><p>„Now, listen carefully, because I will explain each rule only once“ he said, and something in his tone had suddenly changed - something that made cold shivers down Keith’s and Lance’s backs. </p><p>„Of course, each fight is to the death. You will be granted one close range weapon of your choice. And the winner will get the ultimate price!“ he said delightfully as if he had only told a child that it was about to get a puppy. </p><p>The crowd roared.</p><p>Keith and Lance tensed. </p><p>„Let us the fuck out of here!“ Lance shouted, but no one seemed to have heard him - or no one wanted to hear him. </p><p>„Now, have a look at your right“ the voice ordered and when they looked, fife panels in the wall had opened. Visible were five weapons under some sort of energy field: </p><p>An axe, a hammer, a spear, something that looked like a shield and a sword. </p><p>„You think we can avoid the fight?“ Lance asked Keith, having pushed his fear and anxiety aside and attempting to analyze the situation. </p><p>„Unless the others manage to get us out of here, I’m afraid we can’t“ Keith said through gritted teeth. </p><p>„Go for the sword then?“ Lance asked and took a step forward, but Keith held him back by grabbing his wrist. </p><p>„If that sword is too heavy, unbalanced or anything we can’t account for it’s useless to the both of us. The shield thingy looks too big and neither of us can handle the axe or the hammer - if they don’t come with the same problems the sword could“ Keith explained. </p><p>„Okay, seems about right“ Lance replied and nodded. </p><p>„Spear then?“ he asked, just to be sure. </p><p>„Spear. The extra range will also help against that guy“ Keith said with determination. </p><p>„Go on, don’t let us wait too long! What will the weapon of your choice be?“ the omnipresent voice asked them, and the cheer responded by shouting boos or their opinions on which weapon they should go for. </p><p>„We’ll take the spear“ Keith said as loud as he could, and in response, the energy field that prevented them to get the weapon earlier vanished. </p><p>After Keith had grabbed it, the panel as well as the other four, immediately closed again. </p><p>„The challengers have chosen the spear!“ the announcer cried out in joy. </p><p>Keith carefully weighed the weapon in his hand. It was lighter than he expected, and short enough to be handled by both him and Lance without problems. </p><p>„If that thing is our enemy and if we can’t avoid fighting then we have to split up“ Keith began. </p><p>„Mock it a bit if it doesn’t act on it’s own and try to figure out it’s abilities?“ Lance asked and Keith nodded. </p><p>„You’re the faster one, are you okay with baiting it? I’ll try to get behind it and strike“ Keith said. </p><p>Lance nodded.</p><p>„Now, shall we count down for the fight to begin?“ the announcer exclaimed with overexaggerated joy, cutting through their conversation.</p><p>„FIVE“ the whole stadium shouted out. </p><p>„FOUR“ they shouted again, and with this shout, the defending champion fixed it’s gaze on the two. </p><p>„THREE“ they cried out with excitement, and Lance got ready to start running. </p><p>„TWO“ </p><p>Lance and Keith shared a long look. It was a promise to keep each other safe, and a reassurance that they would make it. </p><p>„ONE“ it echoed through the stadium, followed by deafening cheers and shouts. </p><p>On the floor of the arena, Lance took off and went to provoke the beast while Keith got himself into position. </p><p>The alien charged at them, and the brutal fight began.</p><h6></h6><p>„Lance, now!“ Keith cried out weakly. </p><p>The fight had been going on for what felt like forever. The crowd had reacted accordingly - where there had been shouts and roars of excitement there was now almost complete silence. Everyone had their eyes glued to the fight that was happening in front of them.</p><p>No challenger had ever lasted this long - not that Keith and Lance knew about this.</p><p>No challengers had ever fought so well, no challengers had ever functioned as one even though they were different individuals. </p><p>No challenger had ever made the defending champion this tired, or this mad and furious.</p><p>The crowd was overshadowed by a tension so thick that it could almost be grasped. </p><p>„Die already!“ Lance cried out and threw the spear between two plates of armor on the alien’s back - a weak spot they discovered when Keith’s had been grabbed by their opponent and while his hand was squeezed until it broke. </p><p>They had attempted to hit this spot a few times already - attempts they paid for with bruises and scrapes all over their body. </p><p>Lalkies only weapon were his armor - and his huge fists. </p><p>Lance managed to make the spear hit flesh with this attempt, and Keith waisted no second. Cradling his broken hand to his chest with his intact one, he kicked the end of the spear and drove it further into their enemy. </p><p>The alien cried out in pain and rage, but it didn’t stop going after them. </p><p>It couldn’t reach the spear in it’s current position, so it opted to ignore it and continued to chase them through the bloody sand of the arena once more. </p><p>It didn’t stop Lalkies from letting out a roar of fury and anger at them. </p><p>Lance was trying to shield Keith, but his attempts were crushed by Lalkies as he managed to grab Lance by his shoulder. He threw him high, and with a loud crash, Lance was thrown to the side, more brutally than ever. </p><p>When Keith saw what happened, he almost stopped mid-action. </p><p>„Lance!“ he cried out in panic, but Lance - having bounced off the floor two times before he came to a stop - didn’t even stir. </p><p>He only laid there, lifelessly.  </p><p>The crowd’s only response was what sounded like thousands of sharp inhales. </p><p>The commentator had long gone silent - he didn’t dare to interrupt the fight of the decade.</p><p>„Lance!!“ Keith cried out in pain and rage, his cry echoing through the arena. He looked at their opponent, who had watched Lance’s fall with satisfaction and was now turning to look back at Keith. </p><p>„I’m going to end you“ he hissed through gritted teeth. </p><p>Lalkies only snorted in what could have been a laugh and went off in Lance’s direction. </p><p>„Hey!“ Keith shouted, and sprinted to position himself between Lalkies and Lance. </p><p>„You want to get to him? Huh?“ he shouted mockingly in an attempt to get the warriors  attention fixed on himself. </p><p>„<b>Only over my dead body</b>“ Keith hissed, and he meant it. </p><p>He couldn’t bear being without Lance, and he couldn’t bear seeing him hurt. </p><p>Lance laying on the bloodied sand behind him made something in him finally click - something he had suspected for a longer time - and he was going to make sure that Lance would live. </p><p>He would also tell him - if he would also make it out of this arena alive. </p><p>Lalkies had stopped his approach and turned his head to face Keith. </p><p>„Gladly“ his deep and rough voice boomed through the arena. It was the first time that he had spoken that night. </p><p>Keith hated how cold shivers ran down his spine upon hearing the voice. </p><p>Lalkies waisted no more time and charged at Keith, wanting to finally end the two weaklings that had somehow managed to resist his deathly grip for so long.</p><p>Keith rolled to the side in just the right moment, and for a brief second he managed to get behind Lalkies. He reached to grab the spear, but Lalkies had counted on that - and made a quick step back. </p><p>Keith saw what was coming for him way too late. The end of the spear hit him on the head, and with a cry of pain he fell to the ground. </p><p>His vision swam and everything around him was swaying as if he were lying on a ship that was sailing through a massive storm. </p><p>Lalkies turned around, his back to Lance and faced Keith with a satisfied chuckle. </p><p>„Now. Die“ he said with his deep voice as he stepped on Keith’s chest. </p><p>Keith cried out in pain as he felt how Lalkies slowly increased the weight which which he pressed down on him. </p><p>At first he was trying to scramble free, but then he caught something in the corner of his vision. Lance was stirring, and after a few moments he was even lifting his head. </p><p>Lance shook it and blinked a few times before he remembered where he was. He frantically looked around then, pushing the pounding pain in his skull and shoulder to the side, and searched for Keith. </p><p>He almost shouted his name when he realized that his friend was only moments away from being crushed to death by being stepped on, but something held him back. </p><p>He locked his gaze with Keith’s and knew what he had to do. </p><p>He prayed that he would be fast enough to make it in time. </p><p>„That… all you got“ Keith wheezed in attempt to make Lalkies focus solely on him. </p><p>„I expected something more creative“ he managed to add before Lalkies pushed down even harder. </p><p>Keith could feel how the pressure was taking a toll on his ribcage - and it was only a matter of time when his ribs would start to crack. </p><p>„Crushing. Good“ Lalkies only growled and increased his weight on Keith once again. </p><p>Keith had given up on trying to push the other down. He didn’t have any more oxygen to spare. His vision was already getting dark at the edges, but he still could see Lance - who had managed to stand up almost silently and was now making shaky steps towards them. </p><p>Keith had to suppress a grin, but every other thought he had vanished when he simultaneously heard and felt two loud cracks in his chest. </p><p>Some of his ribs had broken, and he cried out in agony. </p><p>Lalkies only laughed and continued to grind his foot down which resulted in more screams of pain from Keith. He could feel the broken bones work their way into tissue. </p><p>„You. Annoying.Now. Die“ Lalkies said again and prepared to finally step down on Keith completely when suddenly, someone was grabbing the spear sticking from his back.</p><p>„Speak for yourself“ Lance said grimly and pushed down on the spear with all the strength he had left. </p><p>Lalkies screamed and took a stumbling step forward - releasing Keith, who immediately gasped for air and coughed violently - but Lance didn’t let go. </p><p>With a scream of fury, he pushed and pushed until he heard a dull clang. </p><p>Lalkies then was falling over, and when he landed on his side, the tip of the spear was poking right through the middle of his chest plate. </p><p>He didn’t move, and his eyes stared forward without any life left in them.</p><p>There was an almost deafening silence. </p><p>Then, the crowd exploded with cheers and jubilation. </p><p>„Keith!“ Lance cried out and fell to his knees near Keith. </p><p>His ears had started to ring, and the headache he had managed to shove aside for the moment came crashing back to him with full force at the impact on the ground. </p><p>„L’ nce“ Keith rasped between his coughs. </p><p>He felt like he was going to hack up a lung, but when he suddenly felt something wet bubbling in his throat, he had to cough even harder. </p><p>With the help of Lance, he managed to shift and lay on his side instead of his back, and after a few moments, the strain on his body became a bit lesser. </p><p>„Shit, Keith. That doesn’t sound good“ Lance said, kneeling beside him and gently rubbing his back with his eyes squeezed shut. </p><p>The light was way too much, and the explosions of noise were nauseating and almost too much for him to bear, but he was more worried for Keith. </p><p>Who had just coughed up blood. </p><p>„Fuck“ Keith whispered, and Lance almost didn’t hear him speak at all. </p><p>Keith blinked slowly and felt how the darkness from earlier was back again. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to shake it off like before. </p><p>„Lance“ he rasped and weakly reached out to grab Lance’s hand with his own uninjured one. </p><p>„I need t’ tell y’ som’thin“ he said, but he had to cough again, harder than he had before. </p><p>Blood was running from the corner of his mouth and over his chin now, but he simply couldn’t stop, and it was getting harder and harder to get some air into his lungs. </p><p>„No, no no no, don’t do that to me“ Lance cried out in panic when he heard how weak Keith’s voice had gotten. The coughing and the blood were worrying enough, but Lance feared that if Keith passed out now, he would never wake up again.</p><p>„Hey, don’t you dare and leave me, you hear me?“ he shouted and winced at his own volume, but he didn’t care. </p><p>The love of his life was dying in his arms - and he never even told him how he felt. </p><p>„List’n“ Keith managed to say with a slurred voice. </p><p>Lance only sobbed, but when Keith blinked a few times to clear his vision, his eyes met Lance’s - and the other knew. </p><p>„I wanted t’ say this for a while now.. But.. Yeah. Lance - I lov’ you“ he managed to say before he had to cough again. </p><p>He took a rattling breath and continued. </p><p>„It’s okay if y’ don’t like m’ back. I jus’ had t’ tell ya“ he said and closed his eyes. </p><p>„Keith! No, don’t close your eyes! Hey!“ Lance cried out while tears started to run down his cheeks. </p><p>„Keith, look at me. Please“ he sobbed, and Keith managed to open his eyes to tiny slits, just enough to recognize Lance.</p><p>„I love you too“ Lance sobbed and gently cupped Keith’s cheek with the hand he had used to brace himself on the floor. </p><p>„I love you, Keith“ Lance said again and leaned down. sobbing into Keith’s chest, but Keith couldn’t react. </p><p>despite the situation, despite what they had just been put through, and despite his injuries - he felt happy like he never had before. </p><p>He only feared that his end was near. </p><p>„I’m s’ry to leave you behind“ he mumbled with tears now wetting his own cheeks, too. </p><p>„Then don’t! Hey, stay awake, please“ Lance sobbed, but Keith didn’t hear him. </p><p>He only had eyes for the three giant Lions that were firing their boosters in their paws and coming down to land in the arena. </p><p>The crowd - unnoticed by Keith and Lance - was panicking, and everyone was trying to flee the arena as fast as they could. </p><p>„L’nce. Look“ he managed to say before his eyes fluttered shut. </p><p>Lance looked up, and he had never been more relieved to spot the Yellow, Green and Black Lion descending to them. </p><p>„Hang on Keith. Please. Help is here“ Lance sobbed while he cradled Lance’s limp body in his arms.</p><h6></h6><p>He honestly hand’t thought to ever wake up again. </p><p>When he did - stumbling out of a pod and grateful to be caught by someone before he could plant his face into the ground - he was so surprised that he managed to choke. </p><p>He was astounded that coughing didn’t hurt - and even more so that no blood came pooling in his mouth and running into his airways. </p><p>„Hey, easy there“ a steady voice soothed him. </p><p>Shiro. </p><p>„Shiro?“ Keith asked and opened his eyes. </p><p>„Hey there, buddy. How are you feeling?“ Shiro asked while he embraced Keith in a firm hug. </p><p>„Okay, I think. Nothing hurts at least“ he said and weakly returned the hug. </p><p>„You can’t imagine how good that is to hear“ Shiro only said and when he leaned back again, Keith caught sight of tears in the corners of his eyes. </p><p>„Was it that bad?“ he asked with a small voice, shocked to see his older brother this tearful. </p><p>„Yeah. You, uhm.. We had to reanimate you. Twice“ Shiro explained with a broken voice. </p><p>„Oh“ was all that Keith managed to say to that. </p><p>„Lance was worried sick, too. We finally got him to go sleep in his room“ Hunk then said, and together with him, Shiro guided Keith to one of the infirmary beds. </p><p>„Is he okay?“ Keith immediately asked, but the others only smiled. </p><p>„Yeah. He had a bad concussion, a dislocated shoulder and just like you, lots and lots of bruises. He got out of the pod a few hours before you did. You were in there for a day“ Hunk explained. </p><p>„Thank god“ Keith only exhaled with pure relief and let himself be maneuvered to lay down on the bed. He weakly thanked Hunk for the heated blanket he covered him with that would help chase away the chill he always felt in his bones after being in a pod. </p><p>„Try to rest, we - “ Shiro began to say, but he was interrupted by the infirmary doors opening with a silent whoosh. </p><p>„I’m sorry, I know that I should but I simply can’t sleep. Not yet“ Lance said and walked into the room, dressed in his pajamas. </p><p>„I just can’t rest until he-“ he went to say, but he stopped mid sentence, mid step when he saw that the pod Keith had been in was empty. </p><p>He looked over to where Shiro and Hunk were standing, and then he looked to the bed they were standing beside. </p><p>Keith met his gaze with a weak but relieved grin. </p><p>„Keith“ Lance sobbed and ran over to embrace Keith in a hug. </p><p>Shiro gently nudged Hunk’s shoulder, and with a knowing smile, they both left the infirmary. </p><p>„I thought you died. Fuck it, you did die“ Lance sobbed, half accusingly, half relieved, almost sinking to his knees near the bed. </p><p>„I’m sorry. I’me here now, though“ Keith said with a weak voice and melted into the hug. </p><p>„Don’t ever do that to me again“ Lance only sobbed and leaned back to cup Keith’s cheeks with both of his hands. </p><p>„I’ll do my best“ Keith said with a sad grin. </p><p>Lance couldn’t stop a relieved sigh leaving his mouth. </p><p>Then, he looked at Keith and genuinely smiled. </p><p>„Can I kiss you?“ he asked  with a joyful sparkle in his eyes. </p><p>„I would love you to“ Keith only replied, and hesitantly, their lips connected in a kiss that conveyed so much - their love for each other, their relieve to see the other safe and to hold each other, as well as a promise that come what may, they would always be there for each other.</p><p>After they slowly broke apart, Lance crawled into the bed and snuggled against Keith under the blanket. </p><p>It took both only a few moments to fall asleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you so much for reading! </p><p>As always, I would be <b>really grateful for any comment</b> - they are the only real measurement an author can get about how you really find their work!</p><p>Stay tuned for the next prompt tomorrow!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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